Public Perceptions of “Benefits” and Risks on the Path to Net Zero

Deep decarbonization will require all kinds of new industries and technologies, including renewables, critical minerals refining and battery manufacturing, low-carbon fuels, carbon management, and more. What benefits do communities expect from new clean energy projects and infrastructure? What risks do they see in developing new industries, and how do people think about the tradeoffs between these risks and benefits?

Join us for an Energy Policy Seminar featuring Holly Buck, a 2024-25 Radcliffe-Salata Climate Justice Fellow and Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo. Drawing on mixed-methods research conducted in 2023-2024 that involved interviews with community leaders, focus groups with the public, and surveys in five different regions of the United States, Buck will discuss some of the common benefits people identified as desirable, and the obstacles they saw to making those benefits real.

Q&A to follow. Buffet-style lunch will be served.

Registration: RSVP required. A Harvard University ID is required for in-person attendance.

Recording: The seminar will NOT be livestreamed, but it will be recorded and available to watch on the Belfer Center's YouTube channel.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or who have questions about access, please contact Liz Hanlon (ehanlon@hks.harvard.edu) in advance of the session.